1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a dispenser. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved multi-purpose dispensing container which enables articles stored in the container to be sealed even when the articles are being discharged, thereby preventing deformation of the articles contained therein as well as facilitating article storage.
2. Description of Prior Art
In general, storage containers are widely used to store therein relatively small articles such as cigarettes, matches, tablets, toothpicks, sweets, sanitary chopsticks and disposable medical items. Conventional storage containers for these items includes a case housing and a lid, wherein the items are kept within the case housing. To use the conventional storage container, articles are placed within the case housing which is then covered by a lid to thus seal off the interior of the storage container.
However, although the sealing status of the conventional storage container may be reserved good when the lid is assembled to the case housing, the articles stored in the case housing has to be undesirably exposed to the ambient air in order for a user to pick out one of the articles from the case housing.
Further, when applied to sealing-required medical items such as tablets, cotton, and contraceptives, or to vapor-vulnerable items such as pasteurized spoons, matches, cigarettes, and toothpicks, these articles when contained in conventional storage containers has been subject to deformation since the those articles are inevitably exposed to the external environment whenever the lid is taken off
There are other containers which don""t require that a lid be taken off to dispense the contents therein. These other containers have a dispensing system which has a discharge hole defined at a lower end of the container for discharging items therethrough. The discharge of items through the hole is regulated by a covering or a single revolving door-like member at the hole. These containers are better at reducing exposure of the contents within the container to the ambient air by reducing the need to open the lid; however, air still seeps into the container through the hole.
The present invention is contrived to overcome the conventional disadvantages. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved storage container system which enables the articles therein to be preserved from premature deformation by maintaining the interior of the container in a sealed-off status during an article discharge.
To achieve the above-described object, the storage container system according to the present invention comprises an outlet formed at a bottom portion of the case housing and communicating with a vertical passage formed within the case housing to facilitate an article discharge therethrough. Furthermore, a wing rotatably mounted within the case housing serves to drop articles into the vertical passage and to a cylindrical framework rotatably mounted within the case housing. The cylindrical framework receives the article dropped through the vertical passage and thereafter drops the same into the outlet while making a rotation in the vertical passage. A rotational means is formed in an external portion of the case housing and sequentially rotates the wing and the cylindrical framework in a predetermined rate of rotation. To effect sealing of the housing, a sealing means is utilized to seal the cylindrical framework and the wing to prevent the ambient atmosphere from flowing in through the outlet and into the case housing.